IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2016. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 Status of Agriculture “A Case Study at Block of District”

Satyajit Dhara*1, Dr.Ashis Kr. Paul *2

*1st.Assistant Professor, A.J.C.BoseCollege, Kolkata20,[email protected].**2nd. Dr.Ashis Kr. Paul, Professor, Vidyasagar University, Dept of Geography. Paschim Medinipur-721102. .

Abstract: Thakuran river in the east, and Agriculture is the most important economic blocks on the west, Mathurapur 1 and 2 activities of the people of the Indian Sundarban. blocks on its north and in the By constructing embankments along the major South.This is one of the largest blocks of West rivers and coastal region on premature land which Bengal consisting of 15 gram panchayats and 87 people reclaimed rice cultivation started here. mouzas. It is entirely rural area.The total area of Patharpratima is the most remote block of South this block is 484.47 square km. According to 2011 24 Parganas district. There are thirteen islands in census the total population of this block is 328769 this block which are criss-crossed by so many tidal and the density of population is 678 persons per rivers. Most People of this block are engaged in sq. Km. Most people of this block adopted agriculture and pisciculture. In the low lying agriculture as their main occupation. Agricultural alluvial soil the farmers are producing mainly rice, activity totally controls the socio-economic status jute and many other crops and vegetables. of the people at this block. Gradually the pressure of population increased a The Study Area: lot on the agricultural land and the natural hazards like embankment breaching, flood, saline water But breaches in embankments change in livelihood intrusion and cyclonic impact also increasing day pattern from land base to water based which has by day. So there is a loss of agricultural significant bearing on the health of the ecosystem. productivity and diversion of agricultural land to The distributaries of the Ganga which criss-cross fish farm land can also be seen. Soil salinity is a this land include Hoogly, Baratala, Saptamukhi, major concern of the farmers. Thus the present Thakuran, Mridanga-Bhanga, Matla, , paper reveals the study of the Status of Agriculture bidya, Hatania-Duania, Herobhanga etc. They are of the Patharpratima block. fed by sea tides twice a day.Sea water enters more than 100 km through these estuaries and inundate Key words: - Agriculture, crop diversification, the lowlying plains. Tidal effect, seasonal flooding soil salinity, crop productivity, employment and impact of full moon cause embankment pattern, globalization, livelihood option breaching in all the river banks area. This causes serious damage to agriculture, road, etc. Introduction:

Patharpratima block is situated in the southern part of South 24 Parganas district. It is bounded by

239

IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2016. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 Objectives of the study :- of field survey farmers perception about the perception about the climate change impact on i)To analyse employment trend in agricultural agriculture also assessed. Ground level reality sector verified by field observation. Cartographic ii)To analyse the trend of production of techniques applied to analyse the statistical data on agricultural crops crop production. iii)To identify the major problems of agriculture Result and Discussion: - iv) To suggest the proper management options for Employment Trend in Agricultural Sector in the development of agricultural activities. Patharpratima Block:- There are 29 blocks in the South 24 Parganas district.In the year 1991 we find that 48.44 percent male population belongs to main workers group where as only 2.84 percent belongs to marginal group. Quite contrasting features can be seen in case of female workers. Only 3.03 percent female falls under the category of main worker where as 9.85 percent female people belongs to marginal workers.Trend of working participation can be seen in 2001 census data. In the Patharpratima block 43.73 percent male population were engaged as main workers. So 4.71 percent decrease of main male workers in the next census. Male marginal workers increased by 8.42 percent in 2001 census .It means that from main workers group , people shifted to marginal group.There was significant change in female main workers group. The female main workers increased by 4.71 percent in the 2001 census than 1991 census.In the 1991 census data we find that the female marginal workers were 9.85 percent and it became in the next census 20.87. So the female marginal workers increased Methodology:- by 11.02 than earlier census. 2011 census we find The present paper is based on the collection of that 42.6 % population are engaged in different primary data collected from the field survey. activities. Secondary data collected from the different offices The main workers in the Patharpratima block had and literatures. On the basis of statistical data, been converted into marginal workers with analysis done to represent the relationship changing nature of climate (Gupta S. And Sarkar population and crop production. During the period

240

IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2016. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 Small farmers 7107 Other workers 32.27%

Marginal farmers 30780 Main workers 26.65%

Bargadars 21394 Marginal workers 15.95%

Patta Holders 25031 Non workers 57.4%

Agricultural Labourers 43615

G. , Climate Change and Economic Adaptablity of Workers Percentage Total Workers Indian Sundarban, 2014 ). Percentage

Occupational composition of the people of Main 48.44 Patharpratima block: - Worker(male) 51.28 Percentage of Total Workers in the Population of Marginal 2.84 the block: worker(male)

Main worker (female):- Occupational Main 3.09 Diversification:- worker(female) 12.94 Active participation of male workers can be seen marginal 9.85 in recent times in Patharpratima block. The female worker(female) members have come forward to make a successful (year-1991) alternative economy with the change of environment of Indian Sundarban.A significant number of male workers have left the agricultural - Data source- District Statistical Handbook, South field and joined the alternative occupations.The 24 Parganas (2009) and Census Report, 2011. female members also come out and have been started to workrecently as rented daily labour.At present a greater percentage of female main workers have been added in the agricultural practices.

Patharpratima block-(2011 census) --

Cultivator 34.7%

Agricultural labour 31.1%

House hold workers 1.9%

241

IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2016. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968

Workers Percentage Total Workers Block is mainly low lying having 61 percent. The Percentage percent of medium and uplands are 26 percent and Main 43.73 11percent respectively. Agriculture in this block Worker(male) depends on monsoon rain Micro irrigation 54.99 Potentials created through rain water harvesting Marginal 11.26 and trapping of ground water in some villages. worker(male) Both Kharif and Rabi crops grow here. Main 8.73 Classification of farming communities based on worker(female) land holding pattern of Patharpratima block is as 29.60 follows :- marginal 20.87 worker(female)

(year-2001)

belong to marginal and sub marginal farmers who have landholdings less than 1 hectare.

Patharpratima GP is completely isolated from from the mainland and surrounded by the rivers Mridangabhanga in the east, Barchara in the North, Saptamukhi in the west and Karjon creek in

in the south.This GP is comprised of seven Grampanchayet wise Agricultural Status:- villages viz Madhabnagar, Paschim Dwarakapur, Baradapur, Bhagatpur, Krishnanagar, Dakshin Banashyamnagar Gram Panchayet is located in the Lakshminarayanpur and Dakshin Shibganj.The south eastern side of Patharpratima block within a area is mainly monocropped. During the rainy distance of one km. This GP is comprised of four season soil salinity comes down through natural viz Choto Banashyamnagar, Banashyamnagar, leaching process. Then it becomes favourable for Shibnagar and Gangpur. The area is mainly Aman paddy cultivation. Around 60 percent of this monocropped.The soil contains medium to high area is cultivable. Around 70 percent traditional salinity condition during dry season and it variety aman rice and 30 percent HYV paddy becomes unsuitable for Aman paddy cultivation. grow during kharif and boro season. Around 20 About 80 percent traditional variety and 20 percent of the cultivable land supported with percent HYV paddy cultivated during kharif and irrigation from storage ponds and canals. Betel boro season. With the help of irrigation other rabi vine is the main commercial crop of this GP . crops like winter vegetables. Potato, sunflower. Eighty percent of the households are farmers. Til, chillies etc grown. About 85 percent of the households are farmers. Most of the cultivators

242

IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2016. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 Digambarpur Gram Panchayet is located in the G Plot Gram Panchayet is situated in the southern north of Ramganga GP. It is composed of eight most part of Patharpratima block. This GP is villages viz Dakshin , Indranarayanpur, completely isolated from the main land and Digambarour, Gurudaspur, Paschim sourrounded by river, creeks and seas.The villages Sridharpur,Uttar Mahendrapur, Parbatipur and are protected by earthern embankments and Ramnagar Abad.The cultivable area is mainly agricultural fields are also protected by the same. mono cropped. The soil possesses low to medium Soil characters vary from one village to another salinity condition during dry season. But in the dry .Medium to high range soil salinity exists in this season soil salinity comes down through natural GP.The area is mainly mono cropped. Most of the process and becomes suitable for Aman paddy villagers are farmers and belong to marginal,sub- cultivation. The major soil types are clay and marginal farmers and bargadar categories. The sandy loam. About 50 percent of the land is villages adjacent to rivers and seas are possess cultivable. The cropping intensity is little bit high medium to high salinity condition during dry at this GP. The major rabi crops are the winter season and its come down through the process of vegetables, sweet potato, sunflower, til, chilly, dilution. Then it becomes favourable for the summer moong and many other vegetables .Betel cultivation of Aman paddy. Other than rice rabi vine is the main commercial crop here. Livelihood crops like winter of the people dependent on agriculture. vegetables,potato,sunflower,til,chilli,watermealon and summer vegetables also grown in G Plot. Achintanagar GP is located in the eastern side of During Aila cyclone in 2009 around 80 percent the Patharpratima block within a distance of 2 km. agricultural crops damaged ( Report Aila Cyclone, This GP is comprised of six villages viz 2009 , B.D.O Patharpratima block ). Lakshmipur, Kamdevpur, Bishnupur, Achintanagar, Purba Sripatnagar and Paschim Brajoballavpur GP is located in the southernmost Sripatnagar. Maximum households are basically part of Patharpratima block. It is completely cultivators. They belong to marginal to sub- isolated from the mainland. Its southern portion is marginal category.The soil possess high salinity attacked by sea waves and causes embankment condition during dry season and becomes breaching. As a result agricultural land is very unsuitable for cultivation. But during the rainy much affected by saline water. About 65 percent season soil salinity comes down through dilution land is cultivable. Aman paddy is cultivated over and it becomes favourable for cultivation of Aman 90 percent of the agricultural land. Most of the rice. The coverage of Aman paddy is 100 percent owner cultivators belong to marginal and sub- of the net cultivable area during the kharif season. marginal farmers. Due to high salinity in the soil During winter season boro paddy and other rabi the amount of rice productivity is very low. crops like winter vegetables During the period of high storm surge riverside ,potato,sunflower,til,chilli also grown in and and sea side villages get inundated with saline around 17 percent of the cultivable land supported water which makes the cultivable lands unsuitable with irrigation from many ponds and canals. Here for cultivation. Seasonal vegetables like brinjal, 85 percent of the households are farmers. ladiesfinger, spinach, amaranth, lablab bean, pumkin, ridged gourd, snake gourd and others are cultivated on the uplands. 243

IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2016. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 The Ramganga GP is located at the end point of Production of Other Crops in Metric Tons (Year- mainland of Patharpratima block.This GP has 11 2011-2012) villages which are very developed for agriculture.There are 3258 households who are Block- Patharpratima, South 24 Parganas. basically marginal and sub marginal category.The Khesary-1295 major land type is low. Around 60 percent land is cultivable. Here 70 percent traditional tall variety Summer moong-280 and 30 percent HYV paddy grow during kharif Mash calai-13.75 season. Mono cropped area generates limited employment opportunity in this GP. Globalization Arhar-2.23 of agricultural crop marketing started in this Sunflower-25.5 Grampanchayet. Problems of Agriculture:-In Patharpratima block Trend of Agricultural Production (Rice Production although agriculture is the main occupation of the in Metric tonnes) local people, but due8.73,Marginal to natural workerand socio(female)- -20.87 economic constrains the farmers are facing a lot of BLOCK YE 20 20 20 201 201 problems. AR 07- 08- 09- 0-11 1- 08 09 10 12 1) PATHARP HY 23 27 28 173 193 Land erosion is one of the major problems RATIMA V 56 00 46 7.16 5.1 LOC 19 22 22 117 158 for agricultural development here.The AL 44 33 86 2.52 0 villages located along the sea and river side are mostly vulnerable to soil erosion and embank breaching.So there is a loss of Data Source: District Statistical Hand Book and agricultural land during every year.The Principal Agricultural Office, Alipore. Land erosion is one of the major problems for agricultural development here.The villages located along the sea and river side are mostly vulnerable to soil erosion and embank breaching.So there is a loss of agricultural land during every year.The village is situated at the southern most part of Patharpratima block. This village had already lost three fourth of its land area due to land erosion.In this block 33 percent population have no agricultural land. 2) n the Patharpratima block 80 percent net cultivable area is under rain fed kharif paddy cultivation with low yield. Change

244

IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2016. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 in monsoonal pattern affect the opportunities of the local people. Multiple productivity of the rice. cropping and crop diversification would 3) allow the ruralP workers to get higher opulation pressure imposes huge pressure employment days in the agricultural sector. on the monocropped agrarian economy of • To cope with high salinity in the soil at the people of this block. present some salt tolerable species are 4) cultivated by theI farmers at many villages n this block during winter season due to of Patharpratima block. Expenditure is lack of irrigational facilities boro rice very low but the production rate is very cultivation can be done only at some high. Such species are Randhunigopal, selected lands. Tulsimukul, Badsabhog, Kanakchur, 5) Gandeswari, ChinaiS Atap, Kanthali Chapa, oil salinity is one of the most important Gujuri Bhog etc. problems for agricultural development. • Bhut Muri, Jhumur Kandi, Dular etc are Due to embankment breaching saline water flood tolerable rice species also cultivated enters the agricultural land and makes it by the farmers.The farmers of G Plot unsuitable for cultivation. When a strong (Patharpratima block)are practising such cyclone attacks the area saline water enters rice species. the agricultural field and damages crops. • Rain water must be preserved in cut off Even three or four consecuitive years no channel of the old river. New ponds must crops can be grown. During the summer dig up in the agricultural field. Cannals season soil salinity increases. So at this have to cut up with sufficient depth and time agricultural activities are very much width so that rain water may store here as hampered. well as during dry season it can be used as irrigational purpose. Management:- • Agricultural lands must be used for The livelihood system of the people of multipurpose benefits. High earthen Patharpratima block completely dependent on Aalbandh must be constructed surrounding agriculture and pisciculture . But at present the agricultural land.On the Aalbandh the agricultural activities are facing a lot of problems farmers will be able to produce different which affect the livelihood security of the rural kinds of vegetables and fruits. At the same people. So policies need to be taken for making time Aman rice cultivation will be possible agriculture more remurative(Human Development on the land. The most advantage aspect of Report , South 24 Parganas). such land use is that throughout the year the farmers can earn money. It will help to • Technological percolation specially better develop their standard of living. Salt irrigational facilities in rural areas required. exploiting trees are also planted in the This will help multiple cropping in the agricultural field. Patharpratima block. Multiple cropping will also lead to higher employment Conclusion:-

245

IJISET - International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, Vol. 3 Issue 2, February 2016. www.ijiset.com ISSN 2348 – 7968 With increasing population pressure and 10. Surviving in the Indian Sundarban- Threats intensity and frequency of natural hazards and Responses-An Analytical Description agriculture of Patharpratima block is facing of Life in An Indian Riparian Commons by tremendous problems. Land erosion, saline A.A. Danda. water intrusion, climate change, change of 11. Climate Change –Impact on the occupation etc. are controlling the scenario of -A Case Study- agriculture of Patharpratima block. At present K.Mahadevia,M.Vikas in International the people of this block shifted from their Scientific Journal OF Environmental original occupation to fishing other marine Science. base activities. Sustainable use of agricultural 12. Climate Change Adaptation and Social resources ,farmers awareness and governments Resilience in the Sundarbans. Edited by policies can change the agricultural status of Anna Olonn and Quentin. the Patharpratima block and also save the farmers. Satyajit Dhara Referrences :- Assistant Professor, A.J.C.BoseCollege, Kolkata20.Email – [email protected] 1. District Statistical Hand Book,

Government of (Year- 2007- 2011) Dr.Ashis Kr. Paul, 2. Human Development Report, South 24 Professor, Vidyasagar University, Dept of Parganas, Government of West Geography and Environment Management, West Medinipur Bengal(2009)

3. Chowdhury Kamal, Chabbis Pargana, Uttar-Dakshin-Sundarban, Deys Publishing 4. W.W.Hunter- A Statistical Account of Bengal,volume-1, Part-ii 5. Reconnaissance Report under CCDRER Project. 6. Census Data, 2011, South 24 Parganas, Government of West Bengal. 7. Bengal District Gazetteers 24 Parganas by L.S.S.O.Malley 8. Participatory Vulnerability Assessment Report by Development Research Communication and Service Centre and Bangladesh. 9. Living with Changing Climate- Impact, Vulnerability and Adaptation Challanges in Indian Sundarbans- Centre for Science and Environment- Editor-Jyotirmoy Chaudhuri.

246